Yup, I'm in a cast right now. It was three weeks ago today that I had ankle surgery. I'm 21 and have already had reconstruction surgeries on two major joints (shoulder and ankle) and I also wouldn't be surprised if my other ankle has to be operated on in the next couple years. Oh the price I pay for getting up off the couch and being an athlete my whole life...I don't regret it one bit.
The procedure I had done was an
Ankle Reconstruction. As the video states, my surgeon cut all my ligaments in half, shortened them, sutured them together, and anchored the ends of my ligaments into my bone. He also stretched out, tightened, and anchored a tendon over the top of my ankle where the leg meets the foot. He also cleaned out the mess that was in my ankle. For years I've had bone fragments and scar tissue floating around in my ankle that have occurred from me breaking my ankle a couple times. The biggest bone fragment I had was about the size of a pea. Anywho, so during the surgery my surgeon cleaned out the scar tissue and removed the bone fragments. He told me afterwards that he thought about letting me keep that big bone fragment, but then assumed I wouldn't want it, so he threw it away. Crazy man. OF COURSE I WOULD HAVE WANTED IT! It would have been so cool to have a piece of my ankle sitting on my shelf. Oh well. I promise I'm not bitter. I was the first surgery of the day and the whole procedure took about one hour. Two of my roommates, one of whom just so happens to be a nurse, took me to the hospital and made sure to get me on video after my surgery while anesthesia was wearing off (go to my facebook to see it, it's well worth your time). They put me on crutches and in a mixture of a hard and soft cast, christened "Oscar" by post-op nurse:
The thing literally weighed 10 pounds. I never left the couch for a week (except to pee and that was quite an adventure in itself) and my leg was propped up 24/7. I had to take a Vicodin every 5 hours and I soon learned why God made painkillers. Classes? Yeah right. I did venture out once for 20 minutes to go to the store with my roommate, just to see if I could:
Guess not. My five roommates took turns sleeping downstairs with me in the living room and bringing me food (a requirement in order to avoid nausea from the Vicodin). It was a painful and interesting week, however, I was probably the most content and peaceful that I've been for a while. It was obvious that God never left my side and I could see His love being completely poured out through my roommates and their selflessness. God truly blessed me with a spirit and heart of worship and thankfulness during a time when most would be going nuts about having to depend on others and not being able to do anything. I was like that once when I had shoulder surgery three years ago, but I remembered the lessons God taught me. It's hard to accept help, but by being stubborn I rob people of the chance to be a servant that bears the image of God.
A week after surgery I had Oscar removed:
There was literally enough stuffing and Ace bandages to make a Build-A-Bear. This was also my first time seeing my incision (DISCLAIMER: IF YOU'RE SQUEAMISH DON'T LOOK):
Yup the scar is HUGE. Score. I was then given a hardcast:
It was later christened "Peter" one, because one of my roommates signed it first and wrote "CAST all your cares on Him" (referencing 1 Peter 5:7) and thus started a trend, and two, because every time I talk about my cast I can talk like
Glozell.
So now, I have been on crutches for the past three weeks (all non-weightbearing) and next week I get my cast taken off! I will move into a walking boot (the ones that make you walk funny and that eventually start to smell pretty bad), will spend a few weeks in that, and then will eventually move on to walking on my own. Physical therapy is thrown in there somewhere. I still have about three months to go for full recovery, but it's heading in the right direction and I know it will all be worth it. Oh, and a couple random fun facts: it IS possible to play nine holes of golf on one leg, casts make great flower vases, and the best cast scratcher is a wire clothes hanger.
Long story short, God is more than, and will always be, amazing. My surgery and disability is not an annoyance, but it's a gift and blessing. Just need that eternal perspective :)
